Stabbing victim 'heroic' in attempt to save her children

TROY - The former boyfriend of a slain real estate agent has plead guilty and will be sentenced later this month to 20 years to life in prison.

Jason Guynup, 37, was in Rensselaer County court Thursday morning where he admitted to stabbing his girlfriend, Nikki Hart, to death in December inside her Schodack home.

Guynup was charged with two counts of burglary and one count each of second-degree murder, aggravated criminal contempt, second degree menacing and fourth degree criminal possession of a weapon. He was also charged with three counts of endangering the welfare of a child.

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Both families filled the courtroom for the proceeding during which County Court Judge Andrew Ceresia asked Guynup to recount the events of Dec. 16, 2012. "I killed Nikki Hart," said Guynup.

Hart's death came only weeks after Guynup had been served an order to stay away from her. On the Friday before the murder a family court judge issued an order separating him from his children, which contributed to his emotional state, according to McNally. "He returned to the residence on Sunday morning and committed the crime," McNally said, calling Hart's efforts to protect her children during the attack "heroic."

When asked if he thought any friends or family members might have known of Guynup's intentions, McNally said "I'm confident that he acted alone. This was a brutal act of domestic violence."